Opinion

After a couple of days filled with reports and rumors of possible trades surrounding Astros ace pitcher Roy Oswalt, things seem to be at a standstill, at least from the St. Louis Cardinals’ perspective.

Fresh off two straight one-run wins against their division rival Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Texas Rangers have boosted their lead to seven games in the AL West and sport a healthy 57-40 record in 2010.

While some fans have been surprised by the great play from the Rangers in the first 97 games this season, there were a lot of experts out there who predicted a division championship for Texas this year.

Bob Geren's legacy as manager of the Oakland A's will always be his legendary incompetency. No manager in Major League history is as clueless at using their bullpen as Geren has been.

Tonight illustrates a perfect example of how Geren can destroy the confidence of a young pitcher. Henry Rodriguez came into the ballgame to face Paul Konerko in the top half of the eighth inning, and Rodriguez did his job keeping the game close at 3-1. 

Several times in 2010, I've used this space to lament the unfortunate trajectory on which the Oakland Athletics' season seems to routinely find itself. If it's not injuries derailing an otherwise smoothly steaming train, then it's...well....

No, it's pretty much been injuries every time, all the time.

There is that third basemen for the New York Yankees who has a strange way of doing things.

Alex Rodriguez is sitting at 599 home runs on his career.

Let me start by saying I am not a White Sox fan. I grew up cheering for the Minnesota Twins.

As a Twins fan I remember Ozzie Guillen being a thorn in the Twins' side as a player. Since taking over the White Sox he is now a thorn in the Twins' side as a manager.

Yet, Guillen is one of my favorite managers in baseball. A lot of it is for the praise he has always had for the Minnesota Twins, and the mutual respect that Ron Gardenhire and he have for each other.

It was fun while it lasted.  But as scripted, the Reds season is over.

But much like the malaise one feels before the onset of the flu, it's just an all-too-familiar feeling.

Entering Friday, our beloved Redlegs find themselves only 1.5 games behind the division-leading St. Louis Cardinals and a half-game back of the San Francisco Giants for the NL Wild Card.

Non-Reds fans just read that and laughed, maybe thought to themselves, "Has this guy been stealing his Granny's morphine?"

No, only her anti-anxiety medication.

In a lot of ways, it has always been about the numbers in baseball. Fans, writers, and historians have long focused on the precious statistics in baseball, and there have been specific "standards" by which players are considered Hall of Fame material.

Well, all that's a thing of the past, for now the numbers have been deflated by steroid-cheating needle pushers like Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro and especially Barry Bonds, who has obliterated the most precious of all records with his insidious ways.

Last November, the Philadelphia Phillies had found themselves in one of the most enviable positions in all of sports. 

They had just won a World Series Championship and followed it up with a repeat, albeit unsuccessful, trip to the Fall Classic. The organization possessed a tremendous nucleus of talent just entering their prime. 

It sounds like a great idea: Bring the Prince Fielder to Chicago, and let him take down Daddy's former team and keep them off the top spot.

However, for "His Royal Highness of the Trade Deadline," is he really worth the price?

Reports are saying the Brewers covet two major league players for the hefty first baseman, second baseman Gordon Beckham and pitchers John Danks or Gavin Floyd.